1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a portable tape print apparatus in which a tape cassette incorporating a long tape is accommodated, a platen roller is driven by a drive motor using a drive power source such as a battery and a heat generating device of a thermal head is heated according to print data to print on the tape and discharge it to the outside, and more particularly a print apparatus capable of indicating an appropriate weak battery condition corresponding to various different usage conditions considering that the degree of consumption of the drive power source differs depending on the usage condition of the tape print apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
If a voltage supplied from a DC power supply in a print apparatus such as a tape print apparatus which is driven by the DC power supply (e.g. a battery) drops below a predetermined voltage value, various problems relating to printing and control occur. Therefore, to solve such problems, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-58197 discloses a print apparatus having a power weakness determination voltage memory means for memorizing a power weakness determination voltage corresponding to each print width, which can be changed to multiple levels corresponding to print data, and an output voltage detecting means for detecting an output voltage of the DC power supply. A determination is made as to whether or not the output voltage detected by the output voltage detecting means through the power weakness determining means is smaller than a power weakness determination voltage corresponding to the set print width, and if it is determined that the output voltage is smaller than the power weakness determination voltage, a notification that there is a power weakness condition is made through a power weakness notifying means.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-81052 discloses a plate making apparatus having a power weakness determination voltage memory means which is set corresponding to each print face size of a stamp body detected by a print face size detecting means, and an output voltage detecting means for detecting an output voltage of a DC power supply. A determination is made as to whether or not the output voltage detected by the output voltage detecting means through the power weakness determination means is smaller than the power weakness determination voltage corresponding to the print face size of the stamp body detected by the print face size detecting means, and if it is determined that the output voltage is smaller than the power weakness determination voltage, a notification that there is a power weakness condition is made through a power weakness notifying means.
According to the print apparatus disclosed in the aforementioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-58197, print failure due to power weakness can be prevented by setting a power weakness determination voltage corresponding to a print width. Further, according to the plate making apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-81052, plate making failure due to power weakness can be prevented by setting an optimum power weakness determination voltage corresponding to a plate making width.